Nightblade by Ryan Kirk

quietest place in this busy neighborhood. Men walked in and out of the building, but were always subdued They were also dressed quite well. Takako’s clothing was rags in comparison.
    The first detail Takako noticed were the two men at the door. They were standing on either side, but something about them made them different than men she had seen before. She stared at them without shame until she figured it out. They were still . For as long as she stared at them, they did not move unless it was to serve a purpose. At first she wondered if it was some sort of childlike game, a competition to see who could stand still the longest. But unlike her childhood games these men were not tense from the effort of remaining still. Their bodies were relaxed, not tense like hers would be if she tried to stand still. Although she couldn’t say why, she knew that these men were dangerous. Her excitement about her new job faded as doubts overcame her.
    Her father spoke in hushed tones to one of the men and was given directions. He motioned Takako to follow and took her up the stairs into a room on the second floor. As she walked through the building she saw this was where all the women in the area had been hiding. They were all beautiful. Takako had never seen so many women in one place. Each one wore a gorgeous, unique dress. Takako wanted to be just like them, the envy of men everywhere.
    Takako couldn’t help but stare, but each of the women she stared at had no trouble meeting her gaze. They each returned Takako’s stare in a different fashion. Some seemed angry at her while others gave her generous smiles. There were a few who looked at her with sadness in their eyes. Once again Takako felt like she was full of questions she didn’t know how to articulate.
    Her father led her into a small room which was dark but quiet. The room was different than the rest of the building. Everywhere else was quiet but busy. This was peaceful. Takako and her father sat and after a short wait another woman came in. As soon as she entered the room the whole atmosphere changed. It felt like a block of ice had been moved into the room. Everything got colder and Takako wanted to reach for a blanket. The woman was unique in that she wore no make-up. Her face couldn’t be called beautiful, but neither could it be called plain.
    The woman was older than the others. Takako guessed she was about forty. She was still beautiful, but Takako guessed when she was younger she had been even more so. Her figure was tall and slim, but even under her layers of clothing it was obvious she was strong. She moved with a grace that demonstrated decades of practice. Power and control radiated from her.
    The woman offered tea which was accepted by both Takako and her father. She sat and studied Takako and her father, but spent more of her time on Takako. Takako felt naked under her gaze. It wasn’t a harsh stare or judgmental. It was all-encompassing, taking all of Takako in within the space of a few breaths. There was something about this woman that unsettled Takako. It wasn’t anything about her appearance. The stranger continued to smile as if it was the most natural expression anyone could make. But her gaze made Takako shiver a little on the inside. There was something cold at the center of the woman.
    The woman broke the nervous silence. “I very much appreciate you two coming today. I know that this is often a difficult day, but I assure you that in this house the girls are treated much better than in any other house.”
    Takako’s father nodded. “I have heard of your reputation and am glad that you agreed to take on my daughter for so generous a sum. The reputation of your women’s condition brings great relief to my heart.”
    The woman’s smile increased just slightly in a manner that Takako found sinister. “My girls are consorts to the highest men in the land. They need to be intelligent, beautiful, and well-educated. Your daughter, according to the people